Information is provided on what happened, why it happened, and how people reacted to the disaster. Examined are the following disasters in British football stadiums: Ibrox Park, Glasgow, 1902; Burnden Park, Bolton, 1946; Ibrox Park, Glasgow, 1971; Valley Parade, Bradford, 1985; and Hillsborough, Sheffield, 1989. In addition to a total 275 deaths in these incidents, numerous spectators sustained serious injuries. With the exception of the 1902 incident, each disaster and the near disaster in Wembley 1923 were investigated by the government for specific causes and future recommendations for prevention. The investigation of Wembley in 1924 led to the delineation of guidelines for the construction of sports stadium, provision of fire fighting equipment, and crowd control by police outside the grounds. In order to obtain a realistic picture of what occurred in past disasters, a study of past disasters should use all available resources within the context of what was occurring in society at the time and in a spirit of critical awareness. 47 notes